Logging detrimental to many birds

I hold a doctorate in biology and have done countless forest bird surveys.

I know that logging devastates many birds, from woodpeckers to songbirds to hawks to owls. These include at least nine Montana species of concern.

Another dozen Montana birds require dense, older undisturbed forests. At least an additional 11 forest birds require dead trees for nesting holes. Add to this another two woodpecker species and at least two crossbill species that eat pine beetles and/or conifer seeds. This estimate of 36 forest bird species harmed by logging is likely conservative.

So why am I concerned? These birds are continually reduced with logging. The most recent example is the planned Blankenship logging project on the Lewis and Clark National Forest. Environmentalists were unable to stop this project with legal action. I can still inform the public how the “powers that be” are managing our forests. At a cost of about $1,400 per acre logged, the public will spend about $1.4 million to destroy about 1,000 acres of habitat for these 36 bird species.

The goshawk is a “management indicator species” on the Lewis and Clark National Forest. Populations of goshawks will reflect populations of many other bird species, including most or all of those I have mentioned. The population trend of goshawks on this forest is unknown. The court determined that monitoring is not necessary. Add to this the complete lack of any conservation requirements, legal or otherwise, for birds on this forest.